Resilient tire.



Cf A. SMSTH.

RESILIENT TlR.

APPL1cAT1oN-F|LED MAY15.1914.

191 79,77 l Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

jgsl-.

o. A. SMITH.v RESILIENT' TIRE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY15`I914.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J7 Zo titl @vllt CHARLES A. SMITH, F WELLSVILLE, NEW YRK.

RESI'LIENT TIRE.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, igt.

Application led May 15, 1914. Serial No. 838,806.

To all whom 'it may cof/cern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. SMITH, acitizen of the United States, residing at lVellsville, in the county ofAllegany Aand State of'New York, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in Resilient Tires, of which the following is aspecification. r

This invention relates to resilient tires, a principal object of whichis to positivelr preclude puncturing of the tire, neverthelesspermitting the tire to be freely liexed under pressure, affording amaximum degree of resiliency.

A. further object is to provide a sectional elastic tread comprisingindependent removable. sections permitting a section to be removed, assoon as it is rendered unsuitablc for use, and replaced by a new one;the sections being transversely grooved to reduce skiddinar of thevehicle to a minimum.

Still another object is to so construct the cushioning elements and rimmember as to permit of the utilization of any desired cushioning means.

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features and scopeof my invention will be more r eadily understood. from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings andpointed out in the claim forming a part of this specification,

lel'erring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view ofa wheel embodying m'v invention, Fig. 2 is a transverse .sectional viewof the same, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of a modiiied form ofcushioning element, illustrating the manner with which it 'is associatedwith the inner casing, and l l is a detail fragmentary view of the ..morring used in the present invention.

ln' the drawings wherein is illustrated thc preferred embodiment of thisinvention, a wheel 5 is provided which in the present instance is of theordinary configuration comprising a. hub and spokes, the latter havingthe outer ends thereof engaged with a felly (3. Associated with thefelly 6 yis my improved tire, generally designated 7, which comprises arim, the latter being formed from two complemental sections 8 and 9,respectively, which when engaged, provide a substantially U-shapedstructure ro'vided at equidistant points thereon adgacent its outermargins with radially eX- tending Aslots 10, the inner periphery' ofeach of said sections 8 and 9 being provided with annular rings 11 and12, respectively, which when the sections 8 and 9 are engaged provide anannular recess in which the felly 6 is mounted and is secured theretothrough the medium of nuts and bolts 13, in order to permit of theexpeditiousy detachment of the sections, if so desired.

Mounted `in the rim, is a cushioning element supporting base 14, whichin the present instance comprises an annular member of theconcavo-convex type which has depending from its inner periphery atapering rib 15, the latter being engaged in a complemental recess inthe rim lat the jointure of the sections 8 and 9. By the provision ofthe tapering rib 15, it` is seen that the base 14 is retained in spacedrelation to the outer face or vertex of the casing, said base 14elikewise tapering toward its marginal edges, in order to facilitate thesliding of the opposite sides 16 of the casing 17 beneath said base 14.The inner casing is preferably made of a flexible material, such asrubber or the like and provides a floating casing which is actuatablewhen pressure is exerted on the tread of the wheel, said casing 17 beinglikewise of a substantially U-shaped configuration in cross section,having the vertex thereof lying in parallelism with the vertex' of therim, so as to provide an inclosed chamber in which is mounted acushioning element. The cushioning element as shown to advantage inFigs. 1 and 2 comprises the ordinary pneumatic tube 18, the latter beingengaged with the inner face of the casing 17 and the outer periphery ofthe base 14, as advantageously illustrated in Fig. 2.

An armor ring 19, preferably made of metal is mounted on the outerperiphery of the casing 17, said ring being split as indicated at 20 andshown in Fig. 4 to permit the expansion and contraction of the same whenpressure is exerted on the tire,

said split being diagonal, so as to provide.4

overlapping ends permitting the ring to be readily contracted andallowed to assume its normal position as soon as pressure .is l

released from the tire, the marginal edges of the ringn being inengagement with the opposite inner faces of the sections 8 and 9.

A tread 21 is mounted the armor ring 19, said tread being preferablymade of rubber and comprising a plurality of independent sections whichare snugly engaged with each other, said sections being held intransversely of the the outer casing by bolts 22' which extend tirethroughthe sections of the tread, one end of'said bolt provided with ascrew threaded recess in which is adjus'tably mounted a screw 23permitting of the removalv of any one of the sections matic tube 18' berendered unsuitable for f for the tread 21, so as .tion and if desiredranged.

.when so desired, since as previously pointed use, thefbolts. 22 wouldprovide supports to limit the movement of the latter, at sorbing theshock to a certain extent in view of theresilient nature of the tread.Each of the sections which comprise the tread 21 is provided atintervals thereon with transverse slots 24,'so as to prevent theskiddingfo the tire, said slots or recesses being preferably of aV-shaped configuramay be alternately arin rig. a is Shawn a rmarianifomiof cushioning. element which inconjun'ction with the casing 17 andthe' base 14, uses coil linner convolution ofeach the base springs 25which are vided by the inner andv4 outer casings, the of said springsbeing engaged with the outer periphery of A111 and/the outer convolutionof in engagement with the inner face of a plate 26 which extends around.

the casing 17 and isthe inner periphery of heldV in engagement therewithby the springs 25. d

Bepi o1 this patent may be obtained for ve cents each,

8 andi), allowing the same time, a'bl arranged in spaced-L aart-relation in the chamber which is proin presence of two-witnesses.

In use of the form shown in Figs. and

2, when pressure is exerted on the tread 21, the bolts 22 will beactuated causing the flexing of the armor ring 19 and subsequently tothe pneumatic tube 18 through the casing 17, the sides 16 of said casingsliding beneath the base 14, in view oi, the opening which is yprovidedtherebetween andthe rim by the rib 15.- As soon as pressure is released.from the outer tread', the casing 17 tion as shown View of theelasticity of to advantage in F1g. 2, 1n' the'inner tube 18.

When pressure is exerted on the tread 21,` andthe form of cush1on1ngmeans as shown in Fig. 3 is'used, the springs 25 are com'- apressed andautomatically expand as soon` is released rom the tread.

as pressure 25 may of course, he engaged The springs -by suitablesupporting means lso as to pre- ;vent circumferential or lateral thrust.

It will be understood that the vabove description and accompanyingdrawings comprehend only ythe general and preferred emwill assume itsnormal posi-A bodiment of my invention and that various minor changesin, details of construction,

proportion and arrangement of parts may be made within .the scope of theappended. claim and without sacrificing any 'of the adv vantages of myinvention.

- Having thus fully flexible casing'mounted in the. rim', a base carriedby the rim and lyingl in. spaced relation thereto to permit movementqothe inner casing therebeneath, al 'cushioning element mounted on thebase within the casing, and a tread mounted for movement in the rim tolex thecushioning element for absorbing shock from the vehicle.

.In testimony whereof I vafiix my signature CHARLES A.

Witnesses: 7 LEWIS H. CAMPBELL, Jnss'n L. Wrrmn.

by uressing the ommissioner of Extent:

describedA my inventionl what 1 claim as new and desire to secure 'byLetters Patent is: y f

A resilient tire including rim', a floating sivnrn,

